How to Import-Export Mailboxes in Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 1

We all know about Exmerge utility is used for importing/exporting data to and from mailboxes. Exmerge is in use when Exchange Server 4.0 came into picture, which use native MAPI provider included with Exchange server (means no need to install Outlook client on the system from where you are running Exmerge utility).

With the launch of Exchange Server 2007, Exmerge was replaced with the Import-Mailbox and Export-Mailbox Cmdlets, but not providing any support for moving data to PST from the Server. Instead, you have to install Exchange 2007 System Management tool and Outlook 2003 SP2 or later to run this command. The reason behind doing so much of work was that Exchange 2007 didn't include a MAPI provider unlike earlier versions.

With Exchange Server 2007 SP1, we can export data to a PST file by using Export-Mailbox Cmdlet.

In Exchange Server 2010, the Import-Mailbox and Export-Mailbox Cmdlets are still in uses, but we can also run these commands from remote location without installing Exchange 2010 Management tool, but still we will have to install Outlook 2010 64-bit on the Mailbox server.

With Exchange Server 2010 SP1, the Import-Mailbox and Export-Mailbox Cmdlets has been replaced with new commands, New-MailboxImportRequest and New-MailboxExportRequest. Microsoft Group this time has included in-build MAPI provider with Exchange Server 2010, thereby removing Outlook 2010 MAPI provider dependencies.

Let's have a look on a small description of New-MailboxImportRequest and New-MailboxExportRequest Cmdlets on Exchange Server 2010 SP 1.

Import		Export
Description	Cmdlet	Description	Cmdlet
To import data from PST to Exchange 2010	New-MailboxImportRequest	To export data from mailbox to PST file	New-MailboxExportRequest
View mailbox import details	Get-MailboxImportRequest	View mailbox export details	Get-MailboxExportRequest
View more detailed import report	Get-MailboxImportRequestStatistics	View more detailed export report	Get-MailboxExportRequestStatistics
Suspend import request	Suspend-MailboxImportRequest	Suspend export request	Suspend-MailboxExportRequest
Resume a suspended import request	Resume-MailboxImportRequest	Resume a suspended export request	Resume-MailboxExportRequest
Remove Completed or ongoing import request	Remove-MailboxImportRequest	Remove Completed or ongoing export request	Remove-MailboxExportRequest
Change the option of ongoing import request	Set-MailboxImportRequest	Change the option of ongoing export request	Set-MailboxExportRequest